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The Pillars
The pillars are four ancient monuments located in the Free Lands which are believed to be the stakes supporting the seal on the Sky Lord's prison under the Tree of Souls. They are sacred to those who follow the Cult of the Five Powers, though the exact nature of each is unknown to mortal kind. In some cultures, it is strictly prohibited to approach the Pillars, and their locations are guarded secrets. Their presence is the basis for the division of the Free Lands into the territories of Daemonheim, Seid, Stratholm and Juakali. In some schools of thought, the pillars were created by Cane, the Immortal Shadow of Morality. In others, though, they are considered to have been built at the direction of the God Slayers. The Tree of Life The Tree of Life is located in south-eastern Juakali, near the city of Zankal. It is believed to be guarded by a spirit known as the Elephant Man. The Tree was broken sixty years before current era by a man named Mojonbo together with a powerful creature called, by the locals, a Goji. When the tree was shattered, a famine spread across savannahs of Juakali. Nothing would grow there for twenty-four years. The locals attributed the famine to Mojonbo, and exiled him from the village. The Staenheim The Staenheim is located in south-eastern Stratholm, deep in the Bone Sands. It is said to be guarded by a mysterious race of people known as Light Bringers or Time Keepers. The Staenheim exudes a kind of energy that distorts the passage of time within its area of influence. Those who get too close to it disappear, sometimes returning to their villages and cities several weeks, or in extreme cases years, after they entered. They report having been within the area of influence for only a few minutes, and in those rare extreme cases in which the period of their absence has extended into years, they have not aged. Nimrodel is the closest settlement to the Staenheim. The city government specifically prohibits anyone from approaching within fifty miles of it, though the range of its influence is significantly smaller. Violators of the law are faced with permanent exile. The Norenberg The Norenberg is rumored to be guarded by a tribe of mountain elves who descended into Daemonheim nearly a thousand years in the past. They are a reclusive people, shrouded in mystery, and interface with them is rare. Maxiniel Aran is one of them who left his village within its veil, though he refuses to speak of his life there, or the Norenberg itself. The Norenberg exudes an odd influence on the lands immediately surrounding it, which distort space. Travelers who have come into contact with its influence report their voyages having taken several days longer or shorter than they otherwise should have. Reports suggest the nature of the space distortion extends beyond simple distance, as some who have come very close to the monument have reportedly surfaced in areas of the world far removed from it. Those who enter it never return. The Oarg The Oarg is located in central Seid, in a dense patch of forest where travel is strictly forbidden. The Oarg exudes an influence over those who come into close proximity to it, heightening their magical power. It is dangerous to use magic when close to it, as reports have that travelers in company with those so careless have gone into a state of uncontrollable rage, lost control of their rites due to the unexpected spike in power, or have spontaneously and unexpectedly combusted.